Norfolk and Suffolk county councils are reportedly '99pc' of the way towards agreement for both authorities to support a £1.1bn government devolution deal for the two counties.
Robin Hunter-Clarke, deputy leader of Norfolk County Council, told a County Hall meeting he hoped the two Reform-led councils will have overcome their differences over the deal within days.
The government is ready to hand the two counties a deal to transfer powers for issues such as transport, housing, jobs and adult education from Whitehall to Norfolk and Suffolk, along with a £37.4m-a-year investment fund.
For it to proceed, an elected mayor will be created for the two counties, heading up a new combined authority, expected to be made up of two representatives from Norfolk County Council and two from Suffolk County Council.
But before the government can lay the necessary Parliamentary statutory instrument to allow the combined authority to be set up, Norfolk and Suffolk councils must make formal resolutions consenting.
Suffolk's cabinet had been due to make that decision last week, but put it on hold until November 12.
Suffolk's leader Michael Hadwen has been seeking assurances it is an "equal partner" in the deal.
He has been seeking an agreement that no more is spent in Norfolk than in Suffolk and that if the elected mayor is from Norfolk, their deputy should be from Suffolk.
At a meeting of Norfolk County Council's strategic and corporate select committee on Wednesday (October 21), Mr Hunter-Clarke said the two councils were on the brink of agreement.
He said: "We are 99pc of the way there and hope, in the next few days, we will be in a position to sign on the line.
"It is no secret why Suffolk has been sceptical. In reality, they have a smaller population and, in an ideal world, they would want their own mayor for Suffolk."
The decision on whether Norfolk County Council will consent to the draft legislation rests with Mr Hunter-Clarke in his role as cabinet member for strategy, devolution and local government reorganisation.
Green councillor Ben Price and Conservative leader Kay Mason Billig called for a special meeting of the full council to consider the matter again, before Mr Hunter-Clarke issues his decision.
But Mr Hunter-Clarke said there was no time for "dithering" and Mrs Mason Billig's call for cabinet to be asked to hold a special council meeting was lost in a vote.
Mrs Mason Billig also questioned whether there was a conflict of interest in that David Bick, leader of Norfolk County Council, is Reform's mayoral candidate.
Mr Hunter-Clarke said he had no concerns.
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